Backlight, VPRO‘s weekly, 50-minute, future affairs-program, balances on the edge of storytelling and journalism. It focuses on the questions that arise from our globalized world in which societies, economies and cultures seek a new equilibrium. Backlight aims to grasp the quintessence of prominent trends and developments.

Living in the End Times According to Slavoj Zizek

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Backlight confronts Slavoj Zizek, with fragments from upcoming broadcasts and asks him to describe the agenda for 2010.

Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek, akaThe Elvis of cultural theory, is given the floor to show of his polemic style and whirlwind-like performance. The Giant of Ljubljana is bombarded with clips of popular media images and quotes by modern-day thinkers revolving around four major issues: the economical crisis, environment, Afghanistan and the end of democracy. Zizek grabs the opportunity to ruthlessly criticize modern capitalism and to give his view on our common future.

We communists are back! is the closing remark of Slavoj Zižeks provocative performance. Our current capitalist system, that everyone believed would be smoothly spread around the globe, is untenable. We find ourselves on the brink of big problems that call for big solutions. Whatever is left of the left, has been hedged in by western liberal democracy and seems to lack the energy to come up with radical solutions. Not Zižek.

VPRO Backlight

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Backlight targets a worldwide audience. Transmission rights are regularly bought by broadcasters from Canada to Korea and from Finland to Argentina and the episodes have won numerous awards. Check out their video's on YouTube channel VPRO Documentary.